PROFESSIONAL golf’s newest tour swings into action on Merseyside later this month.

Open qualifying venue West Lancashire will host the first event in the new Players Tour at the end of March.

Hesketh Golf Club in Southport is next on the agenda for players tackling the 15-event programme, launched by Gatley professional Jon Cheetham and his business partner Richard Walker.

The schedule is predominantly made up of one-day events, with the exception of visits to Vale of Llangollen in April and Wychwood Park in June, when the winner will be decided over two rounds.

The tour returns to Merseyside in August, with Eastham Lodge the venue.

The organisers hope to provide an alternative to existing events on the PGA North Region schedule and the Chester-based Tamsel Tour following the demise of the Exel Tour after two years in existence.

“We don’t see ourselves as rivals to the other events,” said Walker, “but we are ambitious to try and grow our tour. However we have tried to avoid fixture clashes where possible.”

The pair have known each for more than 20 years.

Cheetham is a well known figure in northern golf circles having featured regularly in PGA North Region, Exel and Tamsel Tour events.

Walker, a qualified accountant, is a former course record holder and past captain at Didsbury Golf Club and is well known in local golf circles as much for his caddying as his own play.

Walker is delighted with the progress made so far, but is determined it represents just the start.

“Obviously it is difficult to attract support and sponsors in the first year when you have nothing to show them, but hopefully we will show what we are about with the 15 events we have planned for 2008,” he said. “However we are thrilled with the quality of the venues we have been able to put together.

“We did not intend to be in this for just one year so we are already working on plans for 2009. We want to build relationships with sponsors, courses and the players.

“We want to show people we are not an amateur organisation and that we can put on a good day so that clubs end up saying they would be delighted to have us back.”

The pair are hoping to provide a spread of prize money further down the field than some other events, where the cheques are loaded heavily in favour of players finishing in the top few.

“At this stage we are not giving a headline first prize, but want to try and spread the money a bit deeper into the field,” said Walker.

They have also formed a link with the new Midas Tour, which is based in the southern half of the country, with associate membership offering players the chance to play on both.

The Players Tour will also feature a 49-years-of-age and over category, which it is hoped will help lead players towards the European Seniors Tour, where the qualifying age is 50 and over.